MOSCOW, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. decision to impose new unilateral sanctions on Russian oil companies could stifle efforts to end the conflict with Ukraine, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"We view this step as entirely counterproductive, including in terms of signaling support for achieving meaningful negotiated solutions to the Ukrainian conflict," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
She warned that the new sanctions could have negative consequences for the United States itself and harm global economic stability.
Zakharova added that the measures would not cause serious difficulties for Russia, noting that the country has developed a "strong immunity" to Western restrictions and will continue to strengthen its economy and energy sector.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions on Russia's two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, in a bid to pressure Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
The United States and its allies have imposed multiple rounds of financial and trade sanctions on Russia since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022. ■
